Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-16
A SOLITARY FOR ): YEARS.
Tilted I'm His Youth. He Leaves New
York for the Arkansas Forests.


A dispatch from Little Rock, Ark,
says: 1.-THE death is announced OF
William NJ. Shelton, at his home on
Bayou Bartholomew, i'll the extreme
southern portion of the State. Shelton
had an extraordinary life history. He
came TO this State in 1880 from New
York, of which State he was a native.
His parents were wealthy and connect
ed with many of the prominent families
who seventy years ago moulded public
opinion in the interior of New York.
He attended the University of
Virginia. at Charlottesville, graduating
from that institution with the highest
honors. While there he fell violently
in love with the daughter of Rev. Mr..
Lewis, an Episcopal clergyman. The
lady was very beautiful, but coquette.
She encouraged Shelton only to jilt
him. The sensitive young student
never recovered from the shock.
Wounded to the quick, he left school
and became n wanderers upon the face
of the earth. His nature was changed
as if by magic, and from genial youth
he was transformed into gloomy,
taciturn man and confirmed woman
hater.
He drifted TO Arkansas, settling in
the vicinity of Pine Bluff The coun-
try was then a wilderness. There were
a few white families within a radius of
twenty miles, the Quapaw Indians
being the PRINCIPAL inhabitants. For
some years Shelton lived here in utter
solitude. With the advent of civiliza-
ton he moved further south, locating
near the edge of dense forest on the
banks of Bayou Bartholomew, nearly
thirty miles from any human being.
He erected a rude but comfortable log
house, telling the timber and doing all
the necessary work himself. His forest
home being completed he settled down
to life Of solitude. With his dogs
and gun he hunted in forest and cane
brake, shooting deer, bear, and wild
turkey, which game he carried on horse
back TO Pine Bluff, fifty-four miles dis
tant, the proceeds of the sale Of it sup
plying him with the necessities of life.
In his hunting excursions he had many
narrow escapes. In the fall of 1882,
while hunting, the dogs found n bear
in the canebrake. The animal had cut
down the cane in quantities, and had
built huge nest, taking refuge i'll the
centre. 1t was started out with diff
Guilty and showed fight. Shelton shot
it once, but before he could reload it
was upon him, bearing him to the earth.
A desperate struggle followed. The
dogs came to the hunters assistance,
and with their aid his life was saved
and the bear killed Shelton, however,
carried to his grave the scars received
iii the fight.
Occasionally a belated traveller
found haven in Shelton's cabin,
though he resolutely Stunned com
munication with mankind. The house
was furnished i'll the rudest manner.
There was a big old-fashioned fireplace,
and the puncheon floor was covered
here and there with bearskins. But
what attracted the attention of the in
teligent visitor was "A bookcase CON
tanning works of the greatest authors
OF the past and present centuries. Ihere
were volumes of ancient poetry, and
volumes in Greek, Latin, German, and
French 1t was evident that this
forest hermit was intelligent; in short,
cruditc in the strictest meaning Of the
word. 1t WAS rumored that shelton
had large sum of money hidden in his
cabin, the amount being placed at 81, 900
in gold. At midnight on August Beth
last three men entered the house,
bound and gagged Shelton, and
searched the premises thoroughly, find
ing some $40 in silver. They released
Shelton and disappeared, satisfied that
the hermit had no hidden treasure.
Shelton died of pneumonia. He was
i'll only few days. He viii be buried
in the forest near the cabin in which he
lived solitary and alone for more than
fifty-two years.